A Very Merry Stitch Lab Christmas
by heatherkw
Summary: Camille decorates the Stitch Lab for Christmas. Cameron and Kirsten get caught underneath the mistletoe. Pure Camsten fluff. One shot. Prompt from camstenlove on her tumblr.


A/N: Still working on Time to Think, but got caught up in this cute story. Hope to have the next chapter up in a day or two.

* * *

Kirsten woke up to the sound of a door slamming. Must be Camille. A few swift knocks were at her door. "Hmm?," she groaned.

"I'm going to the lab early. I texted Cameron, he's picking you up at 8." Camille's voice was heard through the door. Kirsten glanced at her phone, 5:32am. What could Camille possibly need to go to the lab this early? It was bad enough that Camille made Kirsten stay up late to finish decorating the house. Camille was quite the multitasker when she wanted to be, she made two different batches of cookies- snicker doodles and sugar cookies to bring to work, all while stringing lights on the porch and bordering the living room, hanging a wreath on the door, and decorating a gigantic artificial tree in the corner of their living room. Camille had kept asking Kirsten to help, but she didn't insist until she got to decorating the tree. Although Kirsten vaguely remembers something about if she helped out with the rest, that they might have finished before 12:17am. Kirsten couldn't understand why this girl was so invested in Christmas.

"K," she replied, throwing the covers back over herself to drown out Camille's heavy footsteps.

…

Kirsten woke up to the sound of an empty house and her usual 6:30am alarm. At least Camille didn't wake her again on her way out the door.

There was something calming about not being bothered by Camille's constant chatter first thing in the morning. Kirsten went about her usual routine- a jog throughout the neighborhood on a chilly winter morning, shower, and then coffee. She discovered a small plate of cookies, with a note reading 'Just in case you wanted some for breakfast! xo Camille.' The gesture almost made up for waking her earlier... almost. Kirsten quickly ate a few of the snicker doodles and finished getting ready.

She was lounging on the couch doing a crossword puzzle, when she heard three loud knocks at the front door that could only belong to one person: Cameron.

She opened the door, inviting Cameron in. "Camille said you needed a ride?," he questioned.

"Yeah, she ran off early this morning," she replied.

"So, you ready?"

"Let me just grab my bag from my room. There are cookies in the kitchen, help yourself." She was already in the back by the time he looked up.

"Thanks," he mumbled. His stomach rumbled at the thought of actual food, considering he dumped half of his breakfast smoothie down the sink this morning. The new variation of adding strawberries to the kale tarragon smoothie didn't do much for the flavor, as he hoped it would. He wandered into the kitchen, and devoured the three remaining cookies.

"There will probably be more at work." Kirsten was already back, looking impatient as ever in the living room. For someone who couldn't tell time, she certainly fooled him on several occasions.

"More? More what?"

"Cookies. Camille made them last night. And unless she managed to eat all eight dozen, she took them to work this morning." She was already leaving the house, and Cameron closed the door and rushed after her to catch up.

…

They drove to work in comfortable silence. If they could wrap up the case quick enough, Cameron might be able to attend his parents' famous Christmas party the next night for Christmas Eve. He had skipped the last few years, but ever since his 'truce' with his mother after the virus outbreak, they had been talking more and she had requested that he attend. She had tip toed around conversations about his work, but he promised her if he could get away that he would attend.

He pulled into his usual parking spot in the small lot of the Chinese restaurant. He couldn't help but wonder, since Kirsten had never mentioned any plans... "Hey, what are you doing for Christmas?," he asked as they walked towards the elevator. It only took a second for it to arrive.

"I think Camille said she's making dinner for us on Christmas. You?"

"I'm going to my parents tomorrow, but nothing on Christmas."

"Ah. Any reason you're asking?" She tilted her head and he thought he saw a flash of curiosity in her eyes.

"Nope... Just wondering is all."

The elevator opened, and just as they stepped out they heard a feminine voice yell, "Stop!" Camille jumped up from her seat at Linus's desk, frantically waving her arms at them. "Stop right there." They had barely gotten a step out of the elevator. Cameron glanced at Linus, he had a smug look on his face with his arms crossed. Cameron assumed that he was in on whatever Camille had planned.

"What Camille?," Kirsten asked.

Camille simply pointed up, as they both turned their heads toward the ceiling. They noticed a sprig of leaves with white berries and a red ribbon above them. Mistletoe.

Cameron's breath caught in his throat, suddenly processing why Camille had stopped them from moving away from the mistletoe.

"Seriously Camille? Mistletoe?" She sounded annoyed, and Cameron saw her exaggerate an eye roll at Camille.

Cameron interjected, "Kirsten, we don't have to. It's fine."

"Oh yes you do, in fact. It's the rule... Or my rule anyways." Camille smirked again. "You know, I'm surprised you didn't get caught under any at the house."

"The house?," Cameron directed at Kirsten.

The blush slowly crept onto her cheeks as she took a small step towards him. "Yeah, you didn't notice?... She put them up everywhere- at the front door, both our bedroom doors, the doorway in the kitchen, even in front of the bathroom."

Cameron couldn't find the words, couldn't even think straight. Kirsten knew that Camille hung mistletoe throughout their house. He thought back, realizing that she carefully avoided all doorways when he was over earlier. Although to be fair, he didn't think to look up for mistletoe among all the other Christmas decorations. The logical conclusion was that she didn't want to kiss him. But now, the playful glint in her eyes, and her gentle touch on his arm might suggest otherwise. Still, they didn't have to. What would Camille do? Other than maybe trap them in a bedroom later, until she was satisfied that they had kissed. "Kirsten, it's really fine." He took a step back, and she immediately took a step closer.

"And it has to be at _least_ two Mississippi's," Camille clarified. Cameron saw her mischievous smile in his peripheral vision.

Cameron was about to insist, for the third time, that they didn't have to. But her lips were on his, preventing him from talking. _One Mississippi,_ he thought. Her hands quickly went around the back of his neck, pulling him closer as she moved her soft lips against his.

 _Two Mississippi_. He kissed her back. He gently placed his hands on her hip, holding her in place, afraid that she would end the kiss as quickly as it began.

 _Three Mississippi_. He took a small step closer, and encircled his hands around her back so that there was no room between them.

 _Four Mississippi_. She ran her fingers through his hair, and deepened their kiss by getting impossibly closer to him.

 _Five Mississippi_. He lovingly caressed the skin at the small of her back, eliciting a faint shiver from her in response.

They both heard Camille giggling excitedly, and broke apart quickly. She pulled away and placed her hands at her side. Desperate for contact, he removed his hands from around her back, but placed one of his hands in hers. She surprised him by interlacing their fingers together and gave him a soft smile.

"I am _so_ going to frame this!," she announced. She had her phone out, and likely took a picture (or five) of them. "Don't be surprised, it's part of your Christmas present." She winked as she rushed off to Linus.

"I guess back to work?," Kirsten asked.

"Yeah, I guess so," Cameron answered. She squeezed his hand, before releasing it as they walked to the conference room.

Kirsten took in her surroundings on the way to her locker. Camille had really outdone herself on the decorations. It looked like a Christmas movie had exploded in their lab. Garland and lights at every desk and doorway. Mistletoe in at least a dozen locations, outside of every office and in the hallway outside the locker room. She even put up a fake spiral red tree in the break room, surrounded by artificial snow.

…

Throughout the day, several people got caught under the mistletoe. Camille and Linus, several times in fact. Then Alex and Kelsey from Life-Sci, outside of the break room. Most surprising was Ayo and Tim, outside of the medical bay. Cameron thought it was particularly interesting that Camille didn't adhere to the two Mississippi rule with anyone else though.

By some miracle, they managed to get all the information they needed from one stitch. Kirsten saw the killer and Fisher was out to arrest him. Maggie had released them for the day, telling everyone to enjoy their holiday. Cameron was waiting at his desk for Kirsten to change out of her stitch suit.

"Hey, we still on for movie night tonight?," Linus asked.

"Yeah, of course," Cameron acknowledged with a nod. "Are you and Camille meeting at my place?"

"Yup, we'll be there." Linus waved as he and Camille left, kissing under the mistletoe before the elevator arrived.

Everyone else had cleared out, and Cameron was just finishing paperwork while waiting on Kirsten.

"You ready to go, Girlfriend?," Kirsten asked.

Cameron rolled his eyes at the nickname, one he had never been able to shake. "Let's go, Cupcake."

They waited at the elevator door, Cameron nervously fidgeting with his hands. The last time they were there, Kirsten had kissed him. Camille had already left, so there was no pressure.

Kirsten picked up on Cameron's nervousness. "Relax, Stud." She swiftly kissed him on the cheek right as the elevator door opened.

…

They had just gotten off the elevator at Cameron's apartment complex, when Kirsten's phone went off. She looked at it quickly and put it back in her bag. "Camille said something came up, her and Linus won't be here for movie night."

"Of course," Cameron retorted. They walked in silence to his apartment at the end of the hall. "And of course she would do this," he said pointing at the note on his door. It said 'Look up love birds. xo Camille.' He laughed, seeing the mistletoe above his door. "We really don't have to, she's not even here."

Kirsten was now the one that looked nervous, glancing from the mistletoe to Cameron's lips. Her pulse raced and breathing became shallow. "What if... I want to," she whispered. She took a step closer, leaving the next move to Cameron.

He closed the gap between them, bringing his hand up to cup her cheek. She leaned into his touch and her eyelids fluttered closed. He pressed his lips softly to hers for a sweet and gentle kiss. A question crossed his mind, and he suddenly couldn't stop the words from leaving his lips. He pulled away, keeping her close by pressing his forehead to hers. "If you're not doing anything tomorrow... would you like to join me for my parent's Christmas party?"

"Like a date?"

"Uh, yeah. If you want to." Cameron was suddenly regretting his words, for fear of rejection.

"I'd like that." She gave him a genuine smile and tugged on his hand, leading him into his apartment for their movie night.

…

As promised, they both received a framed photo of them kissing from Camille when she made Christmas dinner for the four of them.


End file.
